Bucking the trend, WOMAD saw ticket sales rise some 29% this year, attracting 35,000 fans to the historic Charlton Park
Home of the Earl and Countess of Suffolk, in Wiltshire. This will no doubt be thanks to its well-established reputation “a trusted brand” (Richard Broughton, Evening Standard) “bonhomie and feel good factor” (Lisa Markwell, The Independent) and a focus on quality music, not headline-grabbing, according to the Telegraph, it proved “good music never goes out of fashion”.
As Wiltshire was transformed into something “rather hotter and more exotic” fans could enjoy the Jamaican Jazz Ensemble, Gipsy sensation Gogol Bordello and artists from everywhere in between “6 out of 7 continents isn’t bad!” Appropriately for many revellers more accustomed with the Hippy Trail of the 70s than the Gap Yah of the noughties, it was “off the beaten track” (FT) where much of the best was found in a festival which “transcends cool”.
The non-corporate event doesn’t aim to sell out, indeed, the huge capacity of the parks is much more than has ever been sold. This undoubtedly adds to the stress-free, family-friendly atmosphere, which draws the crowds back every summer. As organiser Chris Smith put it “for a few years we were concerned about audiences migrating to experience one of the ‘new festivals’ but… audiences are growing again and it’s an audience that appreciates and understands what WOMAD stands for”.
Published on 08 August 2011 by evlambioub
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